Canadian officials have gently reminded everyone to “not let moose lick your car.”
The cute roadside reminder in Jasper went viral on Twitter after being tweeted by Carolyn Campbell on Nov. 14.
“Oh hi, moose. We have strict instructions about your snack habits,” Campbell tweeted.
Oh hi, moose. We have strict instructions about your snack habits. #jasper #Alberta ???????? pic.twitter.com/xSNo7YBrXS
— Carolyn Campbell (@_CLCampbell) November 15, 2020
Moose are apparently “obsessed” with salt.
“They’re obsessed with salt, it’s one of the things they need for the minerals in their body,” Jasper National Park spokesman Steve Young told CNN in an article published Sunday. “They usually get it from salt lakes in the park, but now they realized they can also get road salt that splashes onto cars.” (RELATED: Moose Goes Toe-To-Toe With With A Dog In Wild Clip)
Visitors of Jasper National Park typically park their cars in order to get a better glimpse of moose, according to CNN. Young said letting moose near your vehicle could be unsafe. The national park spokesman claimed letting moose get habituated with being close to cars is dangerous.
“Moose and cars are not a good mix. If you hit the moose with your car, you take the legs out from under it and it’s going through your windshield,” Young said.
Young said driving away from the moose approaching the vehicle is the best way to keep them from licking your car.
I have a lot of questions. What happens if you drive away and the moose just follows you? If you drive away and the moose decides to run after you? I think I would just be scared of a moose no matter what.
This guy. We saw him both on our way to and from Maligne Lake. pic.twitter.com/16EGwWpEV7
— Sandi Williamson (@sandilou34) November 15, 2020
Pictures of moose licking cars are really cute though.